Yaakov’s (Jacob’s) bed originally was in the tent of Rachel and upon her death Yaakov brought his bed into the tent of her maidservant Bilhah, seeing her as the link to Rachel. Reuven could not tolerate him choosing Bilhah, a lowly maidservant in his eyes, over Leah the matriarch of the Jewish people, his mother. So he moved Yaakov‘s bed into the tent of his mother Leah. Reuven never actually slept with Bilha, God forbid, That would have been an unpardonable offense – “rather he moved around the bed of his father and Torah considers it as if he had slept with her” as said in Gemore Shabbat.

“Yaakov avinu” spent a total of 36 years in exile from the time he left Yitzhak and Rivkah, his father and mothers house. He spent 14 years at the Yishivah (school) of Shem and Ever, before going to the house of Lavan. At Lavan’s house Yaakov work 14 years for Lavan so he could marry Rachel and Leah. He worked a additional 6 years making his fortune and fathering 11 of his children, as Benyamin was born in the land of Israel. It took him 2 years to travel back to “Aretz Yisrael” (The land of Israel). You can come back to Israel

Rachel died as Yaakov entered “Aretz Yisrael”, as the Torah says its forbidden to be married to 2 sisters at the same time. Concerning this the Ramban says the Holy air of “Aretz Yisrael” would not tolerate Yaakov’s 2nd wife.

Our sages tell us from Barashit (Genesis) we can see many things about the way one should live in this world as is shown there by the examples of our forefathers. In this parsha a point is made by the Holy One, Blessed is His Name to show us that the descendants of Avraham Yitzchak and Yaakov are separate and different from the other nations of the world. In the parsha it is clearly drawn that from Asev comes the people of Edom as it is written ” These are the generations of Asev who is Edom”. “Asev” (Esau), is a reincarnation of Cain. Edom means red, the sages say this describes their blood thirsty nature. Rome descended from Edom. If we spell Rome in Hebrew ”רם“ this has the numerical value of 240 which is the same numerical value as Amalak. Amalak is the countervailing, the opposite force in the world to Yisrael. They are now a transmigratory group of souls whose nature is to hate Jews, the nation of Yisrael and GOD. This would all make much sense since the Zohar tells us that Asev is of the side of defilement. Yisrael on the other hand the Zohar tells us means ”princehood and strength”. The Parsha of Chayei Sarah includes with the chronicles of Ishmael, Toldot concludes with Esau’s marriage to Ishmael’s daughter, Parsha Vayishlach concludes with the chronicles of Esau. It details Esau’s family line and the leaders and nations that would descend from him, concluding with Magdiel, founder of Rome.

The angel Yaakov wrestled gave him this name Yisrael. The Zohar tells us the angel gave Yaakov this name so that he could prevail over anyone. From this we can learn a lesson as Yaakov faced a conflict here, namely having to fight a Angel. From this conflict came good tidings, as Yaakov received a blessing of power from the Angel. Notice that Yakov asked the angel a question “what is your name”, the angel would not answer. As we know that the angel Yaakov fought was the angel of Asev, the angel associated with evil. It does not like us to ask spiritual questions and prefers that we stay in the “dark”. As when we ask questions we can then grow in the light that the answer reveals. The strategy of the Angel of Asev is to keep us stupid spiritually. It desires us to not even think about God and the eternal life of the soul. So don’t give in to the angel of Asev but ask spiritual questions grow and learn. While you still can. In Gemore Chulin 91a it says there that Jacob’s thighs were hurt – the right thigh or both thighs is not clear.

When the Holy One puts obstacles in our path we should be joyous since we know that by overcoming these difficulties we will be better off than before. It is by overcoming temptations and turning instead to bring light into the world Yisrael is strengthened. From the parsha we can see ways to overcome these obstacles as when Yaakov was going to meet Asev he split his party into groups so to be able to survive a attack. In Safer Giloya Raza its written that the sages added to the Amida a prayer that our enemies be uprooted and shattered. He says they did this so advise us that we must destroy our enemies, and that to pray against them is not enough. It will not even help, unless we war with them. He also sent Asev gifts and most important he got up at night. At the time which the Zohar speaks concerning saying “when the north wind blows” the breath of Gan Aden (Garden of Eden), Chuchmah the first flash of creative inspiration that guides universal consciousness. It was to this that Yaakov rose so that there he could there evoke a will of GOD that would be most favorable for Yisrael. Such that would enable him to overcome Asev and stop him from wanting to do harm to Yisrael. The time most appropriate for revelation of Chuchmah of secrets is at midnight. The proper way to get comprehension of the Torah is to be occupied in Torah at midnight. This is the main time for learning Torah. As this is a time of favorable will to know secrets of the Torah. Its a Torah party. Rabbi Ashlag teaches from the Zohar that at night the eyes whose light is chuchmah (Divine creative inspiration) are closed, this is because of judgments so they are not able to illuminate because of diminishment of divine flow, so people sleep. Sleep is drawn from the ruling of the burning of Gehenem (Hell), which makes a closing to the Nashama (soul of Divine intellect). These do not dress in the supernal light as it is not enjoined to them. Learning Torah at night and carefully saying the ”Sma” (meditation on Unity of God) will help you rise to be occupied in Torah after midnight. At midnight is given light of the left from Ima divine understanding, specifically Chuchmah from the left of ima. It’s the vowel “shuruk”. This is the power of sight that can open the eyes, but for this light to illuminate it requires chassadim. Which is the force of GOD’s giving. The power which has us do Mitzvot.1 In the Torah its written “Yaakov Avenu sent angels before him to his brother Eisav”. The Midrash brought by Rashi tells us that the Group of angels assaulted Eisav and his men shoving them, the “Malachim” (angels) asked of Eisav’s men, “whose men are you?”, they answered, Eisav’s. They proceeded to beat them. “stop”, the men cried, “Eisav is the son of Yitzchok”. The Malachim paid them no heed. “He is the grandson of Avrohom”, this also produced no letup. Finally they conceded, “He is the brother of Yaakov”. The Malachim replied, “If so, then you are one of ours”. Eisav’s true nature is that of being Yaakov’s other half, working together towards the goal of uniting the world under the banner of “Kavod Shamayim” (The Glory of God). He choses to ignore and cover up his true self, under many layers. The beating of the Malachim peeled away these layers and revealed his inner self. For that moment, after being stripped to the core, he was aware of of his true self. And the Malachim pronounced upon him the title of being “one of ours”. Some times God forces people into coming into grips with reality, by providence. Yaakov Avenu achieved success in his endeavor. Eisav’s mercy was aroused. The impact of this encounter is being felt up to this very day.

Yakov’s meeting with Asev in this week’s parsha teaches us about all confrontations to come with Asev to our present today. The word in the Torah for smite, when Yaakov fears Asev attacking is “והכהו”, Whether we read it forwards or backwards, it is the same word. In Da’at Chachamim its says this is so as Every blow, that the gentiles inflict on Am Yisroel, will eventually rebound and hit them back.

It is not easy even for the most beloved of Hashem Yaakov Avinu look what he had to go through he survived living with Lavan for twenty years, fought an entire night with the angel of Eisav, living through a confrontation with Eisav, Yaakov went to the city called Shechem and then Shechem son of Chamor (literally, “son of a donkey”) raped Ya’akov’s daughter, Dinah, and kidnapped her. From that crisis came another catastrophe after Levi and Shimon: killed all the men of Shechem , Then Yaakov feared retaliation by all the nations of Canaan. It is not easy even for the most beloved of Hashem Yaakov Avinu so don’t be surprised when facing difficulties just “serve Hashem”. The child conceived by Dinah and Schem was named Osnot. Osnot ended up, in the house of Potiphar and later married Yosef. From Yosef and Osnot, Menashe and Ephraim were born. The God has ways of doing things we would never come up with , by this know personal and national salvation may only be a moment away !

Aspects of Jacob and Esau are in all of us and they stand in perpetual battle. Soul against body, the scholar and the warrior – the body’s selfish drives and the soul’s share and transcend. These 2 voices are always pulling us in opposite directions.Should I take or give to another? Am I here to serve myself or to serve God or only myself ?

When Esav heard that Yaakov was wealthy, he desired to take possession of his wealth. The lesson is don’t show off, unless you are looking for problems.

In the parsha we see clearly Asev becomes the nation of Edom and Yaakov becomes Yisrael. Asev goes to ”Seir” which the Zohar says refers to a strange God. While Yaakov goes to a place called Succot and then to Kedesh which refers to ”kodesh” (Holiness).